A rare, large green space in Dublin’s north inner city remains “unused” and “locked up most of the time”, despite the pleas of locals for outdoor play, rest and recreation spaces.
Sheriff Street Park, also known as Rainbow Park, is a fenced-in, bleak tract of grass, with several trees in one of the most deprived and urbanised areas in the city.
A small playground at one end has to be “risk-assessed” for dog excrement, drug paraphernalia and broken glass before children can be brought in, says Lisa Purcell, childcare coordinator with Little Treasures Community Creche nearby.
“It is worst in the summer,” she says, adding that the nearest alternative playground is a 25-minute walk away on Gardiner Street.
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Two years after Dublin City Council, which owns the space, published its Play Strategy Action Plan 2022-2027 promising to make the capital a “a child-friendly and playful city to improve the lives of its youngest citizens”, the park is often inaccessible, say people living and working nearby. When it is open it is “unattractive”, they say.
It was open on Sunday for a community event which included bouncy castles, a teacups fairground ride, a Captain Hook swinging boat as well as candyfloss and popcorn – to attract people and highlight the space while marking publication of an interim report calling on the council to do better by it.
Drawing on consultations with children, young people and community groups since March, the report identifies access and safety, lack of amenities and the limited use made of the space as the key current problems. Conducted by the non-profit Playful City organisation, which works with communities to design and create “playful, healthy and inclusive places”, a final report will be submitted to the council in the autumn.
Among those there on Sunday was Geraldine Brennan, who runs a local after-school educational support programme, working with 110 children aged four-15.
“As it stands, Rainbow Park is an unused piece of land. It could be much more beneficial for children and young people,” she says. “We have that small playground but we could expand it, create a community garden, a community hub that groups could use like the running club, the men’s shed.
“It is sad because we are on some of the most expensive land, here in the city, right beside the IFSC [Irish Financial Services Centre] and multimillion euro buildings around us, but no investment in facilities for the young people.”
Louise Finnegan, street outreach worker with Swan youth services – which works with young people at risk of involvement in antisocial activities – said it would be “absolutely amazing” if they had “access to a nice space” to engage with clients outdoors.
In surveys she conducted, the young people she works with said they would like sensory features like fountains, a zip-line, benches, picnic tables, play facilities for disabled children and young people in the park.
“This is literally on their doorstep and not being used. It is awful. As a community we would create it and we could manage it,” said Ms Finnegan.
Children using a bouncy castle slide said they would like swings, a slide, see-saws, ducks and a rollercoaster in a new park.
Andrea (9) said she liked to use the park with her four-year-old sister when it’s open. “It’s sometimes closed and it’s annoying because my sister Sophia always wants to come here. It would be good if there were slides and ducks, just normal, park things.”
The Playful City report says there is a “strong belief in the park’s potential to become a vibrant community hub with space for various activities and events”.
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